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1. Issues [I-] that Aquinas Addresses Employing the Object of the Intellect

Aquinas employed the intellect’s
object to many issues, such as spiritual entities [Spiritual
entities] and their life [Life],
potencies [Nature of potencies (3 locations)],
knowledge, and volition [Nature of the will (3)]
in general. But he also uses it to discuss the Trinity [The Trinity], the nature of divine knowledge [God’s knowledge (15) / Comparing man’s knowledge to God’s
(3)], will [God’s will (3)],
providence [Providence], as well as
Christ’s human knowledge [Christ’s human
knowledge (3)] and suffering [Christ’s
suffering]. It also helps us understand the angels [Angels] and demons [Demons],
their distinctive way of knowing [Angelic
knowledge (10) / Comparing man to the angels (2) / What demons know],
and how they influence each other [How angels
influence each other] and man [How
angels move man / Influence of demons].

The intellect’s object describes man and his soul [Man’s soul (2)], its potencies [Soul’s potencies (2)], habits [Subject of habits/virtues (3)], and soul’s
origin [Soul’s origin (2)], including
its immateriality [The intellect’s immateriality],
incorruptibility [Soul’s incorruptibility (2)],
and immortality [Soul’s immortality];
man’s intellectual [Man’s knowledge (62)]
and sense [Sense knowledge (4)]
knowledge. The intellect’s object distinguishes it from the senses, helping us
discern how man learns [Learning (2)],
develops and distinguishes science [Science (3) /
Logic of demonstration / Distinction of the sciences (2) / Unity and
multiplicity (2)], knows God [How man
knows God (14)], angels, as well as truth [Truth (7)], being, essence
[Knowing essence and being], habits [Knowing
habits], universals and singulars
[Knowing universals and singulars], thus capable of metaphysics. He
uses the object to distinguish freewill [Human
freedom] from knowledge [Comparing
intellect and will (7) / Comparing knowledge and love] and to
describe how the will moves the intellect [How
the will moves the intellect] and the intellect moves the will and
the senses [How the will is moved (2)].

The object of knowledge also helps us understand the morality
of human acts [Morality of human actions],
the concept of good [Concept of good (2)],
natural law [Natural law], act of
election [Election(2)], sin [Nature of sin / Envy], virtues [Virtues (2)]—especially faith [Faith (5)], charity
[Charity (2)], and prudence [Prudence
(2)]—and how grace moves man [How God
(grace) moves man (2)], especially through the Gifts of the Holy
Spirit [Gifts of the Spirit (2)].
Finally, he discusses man’s condition before original sin [Original sin / State of innocence (2)], the
souls of the dead [Knowledge without body (6)],
and his ultimate happiness [Beatitude (18) /
Delight] in heaven [Knowledge in
heaven] by loving God in his essence [Loving
God in his essence].

He uses it to discuss St. Paul’s vision of heaven [Paul’s vision of heaven] and knowledge of
Christ’s presence in the Eucharist [Eucharist
(3)]. It also comes up in Aquinas’ discussion of what
makes something knowable [Knowability / Knowing
Ens] and in the discussion of light [Nature
of light (2)]. The intellect’s object also helps us discern how
celestial bodies [Influence of celestial bodies
(2)] and magic [Influence of magic]
can influence man’s action.